Colorado Sierra High school. Monday. Belle and Emma walk through their locker, they hadn't seen Jake yet. He promised they will see the girls today and still no sight of him around the building.
He probably lost to find this school as for the first day. New kids on the block. Where could he be then?
"Do you think he lost?" ask Emma to Belle. "Still early of course he is. Why doesn't he use GPS, a technology? These are not stone age years. B.C".
Belle twists the code on her door locker and it opens. She put her stuff inside that she brought from home. Toiletries, medicine, emergency aid kit, small mirror, anything she needed was inside of this locker.
She put on lip balm. "Why were you so worried about him? He's still new in town. Trying to blend in. He will show up after everyone was already inside in the class".
"Like hell!" the school bell rang, Emma waves at Belle. "See you at lunch".
Belle nods, shutting the door locker. Slowly she walked toward the class, books at her hand, bag sling on her shoulder. She walked inside the class.
Oh my God!
She hates this teacher. It was Miss Joyce who sat on the chair waiting for the students to get inside the class. She is pretty annoyed and always likes to shout while talking. She wasn't mad as she talked, just her voice was annoying to hear.
Belle took her seat as her eyes on Miss Joyce. Someone touched her shoulder behind her back. Whisper. "Is she serious?"
"What can we say about her".
"The truth is how annoying she was. You can smell how weird her perfume she was wearing today. Sense of Death!"
Belle sighs quietly. She spoke. "Strong one (staring) did she do something to her face?"
"She did. Not just her face. Everything. Botox, big chest, her hips.. everything since Mr. Gibson started teaching here. And now we all know he is going to get married (chuckle) how frustrating she was".
Miss Joyce clearing throat. "Good morning students. Today we have new students in our class, please enter Mr. Harley".
Belle's eyes locked at the door as the new student entered she was shocked. It was Jake.
The same Jake Harley she knows at the playground gets into the same class with her. How is that possible?
Belle shakes her head. Jake stands beside Miss Joyce. He smiled. "Please introduce yourself to your classmate Mr. Harley".
Nod. "Hello. I'm Jake Harley. I hope we can get along together as friends. So I hope we are". one of the students snorted.
"Dude? that kinda creepy when you say that. What we are.. a puppet? don't be so formal, just say who you are and we'll listen. We are not gonna bite you". "
Belle hides her laughter, her face is red as she holds her own laughter. Jake still hadn't seen her yet.
"I'm sorry dude. I'm not used to it but I'll try. Thanks. Just I hope we are. Peace".
Miss Joyce nods. "Okay. Now Jake please find your seat". nod his head. He walked between them and he saw Belle. He smiled at her.
"I guess this is my table starting now". he took a seat beside Belle's table. "Hi".
She blushed. "Hi".
"Okay class. Open your book". Miss Joyce starts her lesson after the introduction.
Belle and Jake realized that they looked at each other every couple of minutes. Realizing other students were watching too. Belle takes her eyes back to front, so did Jake.
"You two were in the same class together. Like you two were meant together". Emma laughs while eating her lunch. Jake joined the girls under these trees, he took a bite. "How's your first day here?"
"It's good. Well I'm not trying to compare this school to my school in New York. I'm exactly happy that I got the same class with Belle and I thought you were there for Emma".
Snort. "No. I am not. Just because me and Belle are always together doesn't mean we had to get the same class. That's boring, am I right Belle?" Belle nodded. "It's a surprise".
"Emma likes weird stuff, so did I. We are not destined together and we like that way". Belle smiles. "I did my research about your family Jake. Oh your mom is beautiful, she was born in France right".
He nodded yes. "Not just born in France. She and her family are French".
"Can you speak French?" ask Emma to Jake.
"A little, not much. My dad is Romanian so my tongue is sort of more American because I was born there. I'm the only child of the family, my mom really wants me to be safe from harm. She will do anything to protect me. Once she hired a bodyguard when I was five until I knew what their job was and I rejected it".
"You have your own bodyguard?" Belle and Emma are amused.
He nodded again. "I couldn't have a bodyguard, it suffocated me everywhere I went. I just want to be myself. My friends are afraid of me because of them, thinking my friends are trying to hurt me and we are just five".
"There are a lot more suffocations when your parents ask you to do so. And now here you are.. alone with us. Does your mom accept the faith that you doesn't need someone to protect you".
"Slowly she did. Not my dad, he's fine whenever I need a bodyguard or not. My dad is cool. He knows what his son doesn't like to do". smile. "I also have hobbies. I like to collect phonograph records".
Emma smiled. "Interesting. You know what I like to collect Jake? (his eyes to Emma) a human organs".
"She's kidding. Jake doesn't listen to her". said Belle. Faking his own chuckle. "She is not serious about that".
"I do Belle. Once you die I pull out your organs. That includes you Jake because you are one of us". smirking. "What the matter Jake? shaking..."
Clearing throat, said. "I've got worse threats than you Emma. Nice try by the way. I mean who will do that".
"Jeffrey Dahmer can. Why not me".
"I know that story.. is he real?" Belle and Emma nod their head. "Awesome. I've been studying his chronology. I feel bad for him too but you can't stop him from killing those seventeen men".
Emma smirked again, said. "So his dumb?"
"Kinda. Jeffrey Dahmer just needs attention in his life. With his parents, friends.. killing? it's out of the topic".
"So he's dumber and dumberer than ever?"
Jake put both his hands up in the air, surrender. "I cannot judge that. It was him in between the devil itself. You figure it out one day".
"We've met the devil itself". What Emma means is Victor Gibson. "And he's not here with us for now".
"Will I get to meet him in person?"
Smiling. "You will find out..". Emma studied Jake for a bit, she spoke back. "Sooner".
"Well enough about me. What about you two, family?"
Belle spoke up. "Me and Emma are the only child in our family too. I work part time at the diner".
"Really? Surely I know you somewhere. But I'm not sure of it. I was about to say that when I saw you on the playground. So it was you then. I saw you there (turn to Emma) . What about you then?"
Emma sighs out loud. "Online business. I like to pair up with your mom, let's say growing our business".
"I'll tell her that". the school bell rings again. Belle, Emma and Jake sigh in smiles. "See you guys later. Or we should exchange our number. I can text or call one of you".
"That sounds good".
Midnight past. Belle dry her hair then she walks beside her bed. Turning on the stand lamp before switching off the main lamp on the wall. She stands in front of the window bedroom as she eyes Gibson house for no reason.
Belle slid the window up letting the cold breeze wind entering the bedroom. The wind slapped on her skin and she smiled. How peaceful tonight without seeing this man. What's so special about him anyway?
The neighborhood keeps gossip about him, his sudden disappearance and marriage. His house looks the same. No lights were turning on, no movement inside the house. Quiet. Too quiet. Like it has been abandoned forever and the owner never came back.
She should buy this house someday. Staying with the man she had love, the sound of the baby giggling. And the best part is she becomes her parent next neighbor, so everything she needs just walks to your parent house, they will be there for you with open arms.
Oh she cannot wait for that future ahead. Belle stood there for a minute then she slid down the window and curtain. She doesn't care what life he had chosen, as long as he no longer disturbed her. Eyeing her whenever she goes.
Absolutely perfect timing to get rid this man out of her life. The feeling of disgust will not be there anymore in her heart. Victor Gibson is gone. Forever.